Control system for blast furnace charging equipment



Nov. 22, 1932. P. B. HARWOOD 1,888,501

CONTROL SYSTEM. FOR BLAST FURNACE CHARGING EQUIPMENT Original Filed March 28, 1927 3 sheets-Sheet 1 MAbTER posmon Elma/36w Nov. 22, 1932. O B, HARWOOD 1,888,501

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR BLAST FURNACE CHARGING EQUIPMENT Original Filed March 28, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 11 11/1 III/[Ill III IIIIllIIIIIl/Ihw' O SMWMA WM 85 Maw through suiieble geerin conirol lo en eleciromagneticellv operable switch LS. Switch LS is adopted to be held in closed position loy means of e mechanical latching device 8, low; snbjecc to reieese upon energies 'on or e nipping coil 1. As shown. swiicir LS is provided with normally open contacts LS normallyclosed Ellery contests LS, LS

inovemeni, of e rocery position switclrshown so the lower right bend side of Fig. l. A relay having connects "FB is adopted under conditions hereinafter described to cornnlete time energizing circuits of main swiitcli'lvl and switches F F or B B selectively. Closure of said contacts TR is sn'b iecied to s delay by means of e deshpot Fill end EH indicate rote-r3 switches of: o, well lniovrn iavpe adopted to be connected disericniing hopper; sec of said switches no ing adapted to make one complete revolution upon eeclo rotary movement of the hopper through an angle of 69.

' Asv shown the mesczer switch is provided with sixty equally spaced buttons, with each alternate one of which e bridging contactor 55 1s adopted to make electrical contact ior purposes hereinafter described. In other words the bridging contector 55 to move through the space of two buttons upon each operation of the master switch ratcheting mechanism..- H-ence it is obvious thcfieecli of the alternate non-active contacts of c n master switch might be omitted if desire The position switch is provided with fortyfive w n-ally spaced, active contacts, and the nridging connector 7 5 is adsptedio be moved through one space upon each operation of the ratcheting mechanism PS of the position switch. The arrangement and iunctions of the various contact segments on the master and ,nosition SWlliClkeS- will ice described more fully in connection with Fig. 2; it being; noied, however, that said switches are preferably provided with suitable legends or marking to indicate the progress or as given. fur nace charging cycle.

in 31 have illustrated diagrammaticall a. inrnece top A having bells B and G, sei loells being adapted to be opened and reclosed individually in e predetermined se at B end E. The distributing hopper F associated with smell bell B is likewise adopted to be rotated in one direction or the other filirou'gli operation of reversible motor M in recess with the rotatable is adapted ouence by any suitable means, as indicated variable stages under certain conditions hereincfcer describe-d. Thus the controller in the specific form shown herein is adopted to porm 1 reception end discharge of five skip backer loads by bell B and hopper F without rotation oi false letier. After discharge of each of the nerd; five skip loeds inio hopper F the letter is rotated chrougli an angle of 60 prior to opening or lowering of bell B. ln a like manner hopper F is rotated through angle of 129 prior to discharge of each of the nest five skip loads from small bell l3. Upon reception of next skip loadloy hopper F the letter is roteecd in a reverse direction through an angle of 180, and the next four sl iip loads are handled in 3. like manner. Thereafter for the next five skip loads hopper is rotated in said reverse direction throngli on single of 120, and thereafter for the next five skip loads hopper F is rotated in said reverse direction through an engie of is will be obvious the provision 01* means for ejl'ecting reverse operation of hopper F will efiec': a saving of forty percent of the time required for the furnace charging opera-don; which is e. feature of great importence in this are.

@peretion oi the device will now be described with more particular reference to the diagram of Fig. 2. With the knife switches KS and KS closed and with the master switch and the posiiion switch in zero position as shown in Fig. 2, upon movement of one of the skip buckets nece, closure of switch contacts SK is efiected in o well known manner. This completes an energizing circuit for the Winding MS of the master switch ratcheting mechanism, which circuit maybe traced from line L by condoctor 5% through "the normelly closed contacts MS of said mechanism,conductor 51 through said winding, conductor 52, normally closed contacts LS of switch LS, conductor 53, contacts SK ,-and conductor 54 to line L The ratcheting mechanism is thus operated to efiecb movement of bridging contsctor 55 through two spaces whereby 1t engages button 1 of the 0 position indicating contacts. The 9 position indicating lamp is films lighted, the circuit thereof extending 1 from line L by conductor 56 through said lamp, conductor 57 to contact segment 58,

contector 55 to said button 1, and conductor 59 to line L @p'ero'tion of said ratcheting mechanism eiso efiecis opening of contacts MS to efiect inclusion of protective resistance r in the energizing circuit of winding MS. Closure of contacts MS of said completes an energizing circuit for the winding of switch LS, said circuit extending from line L by conductors 50 and 60 throu h said contacts M8 conductors Blend 62 tfirough said windin LS, conductor 63 through normally closed auxiliary contacts LS ,of'seid mechanism likewise G to the top of the fur- I and 72 to segment 73 o? the master switch, conductors 64 and 53 through contacts SK, and conductor 54 to line L Switch LS upon closure is held in closed position by means of latch 8, pending release of said latch by tripping, coil TC in the manner hereinafter described; it being noted that the energizing circuit of winding LS is interrupted immediately through opening of contacts LS of said switch. Similarly upon closure of switch LS the energizing circuit of winding MS is interrupted through opening of normally closed auxiliary contacts LS of the former.

Contacts LS and LS of switch LS are likewise closed, and upon movement of the second skip bucket to the furnace top switch contacts Si 2 are closed, thereby completing an al ernative energizing circuit for winding MS; which circuit extends from line L through said winding to conductor 52 as heretofore traced, thence through said contacts LS by conductor 65 through contacts SK, and conductors 66 and 54 to line L The ratcheting mechanism thus moves bridging contactor 55 through two more spaces to contact button 2 in the 0 section of the master switch. The 0 position lamp remains lighted. Upon closure of contacts MS in the manner aforedescribed an energizing circuit is completed for tripping coil TC, said circuit extending from line-L by conductors 50 and 60 through said contacts, conductors 61 and 67 through said coil TC, conductor 68 through contacts LS conductors 69 and 65 through contacts 8K and thence to line L as previously traced. Upon tripping of the latch switch LS assumes its normal position wherein contacts LS LS are opened and contacts LS LS closed: so that upon return of the first mentioned skip bucket to the furnace top the operation first described is repeated, which effects movement of bridging contactor 55 into engagement with button 3' in the 0 section of the master switch. Operation of the skip buckets effects intermittent operation of the ratcheting mechanism in the manner aforedescribed until five bucket loads-have been dumped into the fur nace top; whereas during such time the motor M has not been energized.

However. upon arrival and dumping of the sixth bucket load into the furnace top switch SK is closed to effect completion of the energizing circuit of winding MS, as will be obvious; whereupon bridging contactor 55 is moved two spaces from contact button 5 of the 0 section of the master switch into engagement with button 1 of the 60 section. a

The energizing circuit of the 0 position lamp is thus interrupted; whereas an ener gizing circuit for the operating winding of timing relay TB is completed. Said circuit may be traced from line L by conductor 70 through said windin TR, conductors 71 switch,

contactor 55 to said contact 1, by conductor 74 to the first contact 1 of the position switch, through bridging contactor 75 to segment 76, and by conductor 77 to line L rtnergization of winding TR effects closure of contacts TB of the relay, after a given time delay occasioned by employment of the dashpot TR (Fig. 1). Contactsi'TR when closed provide for completion of the energizing cir-- cuits of switches M, F and F The energizing circuit of switch M may be traced from line L by conductor 78 through said contacts TR conductor 79 through said winding to conductor 72 and segment 73, and thence through contactor 55 to line L as just traced. The energizing circuit for switches F, F 2 may be traced from line L by conductor 78 through contacts T3 and conductor 79 in parallel through the windings of said switches to segment 80, and thence through contactor 55 to line L as previously traced.

Closure of switches M F and F completes an energizing circuit for motor M to effect operation thereof in one direction, as

wise effects closure of its auxiliary contacts F thereby completing a circuit for the run lamp indicated at the lower left-hand side of Fig. 2, said circuit being obvious. Closure of switch F, effects closure of its auxiliary contacts F whereby upon closure of the switch FH, after one-sixth of a revolution of the hopper F, an energizing circuit is completed for the winding PS of the position switch ratcheting mechanism; said circuit extending from line L, by conductor 81 through said winding, conductor 82 through normally closed contacts PS of said ratcheting mechanism, conductor 83 through contacts F conductor 84 through contacts FH, and by conductors 85 and 86 to line L Upon opening of contacts PS protective resistance r is included in circuit with winding PS, as will be obvious. Upon operation of ratcheting mechanism PS, the bridging contactor 7 5 of the position switch is moved one space, into engagement with button 2 of the 60 section of the position switch. Upon movement of contactor 75 out of engagement with button 1 of said section in the manner just described the aforedescribed energizing circuits of switches M F and F are interrupted, thereby interrupting the motor cir cuit connections and releasin brake SB to effect stopping of the motor a ter rotation of the distributing disk through an angle of 60. As aforedescribed suitable means is provided for discharging the material from the bell B prior to dumping of the next bucket load thereonto.

It will be noted that upon movement of Cil contactor 75 into engagement with said button 2 an energizing circuit is provided for the 60 indicating lamp; said circuit extending from line L through said lamp, b con ductor 87 to segment 88, thence throug contactor 7 5 to segment 76 and by conductor 77 to line L Upon arrival of the next skip bucket at v the furnace top Windin MS is again energized, to efiect ratcheting of contactor through two spaces into engagement with button 2 of the section of the master switch. This again completes the energizing circuits of switches M F and F which circuits may be traced from line L by conductor 7 8 to bridging contactor 55 as aforedescribed, thence. to said button 2,

by conductor 89 to button 2 of the 60 sec tion of the position switch, through contactor to segment 76 and thence by conductor 77 to line L Motor M is therefore again operated, and upon rotation of the distributing hopper through an angle of 60 switch FH is again closed. The resulting energization of winding PS effects ratcheting of contactor 75 through one s ace to engage button-3 of the 60 section 0 the position switch. It will be noted that movement of said contactor out of engagement with button 2 of said section effects interruption of the energizing circuits of switches M F and F and stopping of the motor in the manner aforedescribed.

Motor M is intermittently operated in the manner aforedescribed to carry each skip bucket load to a point 60 removed from that at which it is received, until five loads have been so received and discharged; whereupon contactor 750i the position switch is moved one space into engagement with button 1 in the 120 section of said switch. It therefore results that upon the next operation of the master switch ratcheting mechanism MS, the

energizing circuits of switches M F and F are comp eted and will be maintained pending two complete revolutions of'switch FH,

whereby the distributing hopper is rotated through an angleof 120 pr or to stopping of the motor. The next four skip loads are each likewise carried by the hopper F and bell 'B to a point 120 removed from the point at which they are received from the 60 at'wliich they were received. I

' When the fifth load is carried to the 120 position the contactor 75 of the position switch will be moved out of engagement with segment 90 and into engagement with segment 91 and button 1 of the 180 section of the the distributing disk throu position switch. Moreover, upon arrival and discharge of the next load into hopper F the master switch ratcheting device is o rated in the manner aforedescribed to e ect movement of contactor 55 out of engagement with segment and into engagement with segment 92 and button 1 of the 180 section of the master switch. This again completes an energizingcircuit for relay TR, which upon closure completes an energizing circuit for main'switch M in the manner aforedescribed. However, under these conditions an energizing circuit will be completed for the windings of switches B513 which results in operation of motor M in a reverse. direction. It will be noted that the provision of three buttons in each group in the 180 section of the position switch will necessitate threeoperations of the ratcheting mechanism PS prior to interruption of the motor circuit connections, and hence the distributing hopper will be requiredto rotate through an angle of 180 prior to lowering of bell B. While I- have shown means for reversing the motor to effect movement of the distributing disk to the 180 position, it will be obvious that by extending the egment 80 to cover the 180 sect-ion of the master switch such movement could be effected through operation of the motor in the first mentioned direction.

It will be noted that upon closure of the auxiliary contacts B of switch B an alternative energizing circuit is provided for the run lamp, said circuit being obvious. Likewise upon closure of the auxiliary contacts B of the switch B the energizing cira cuit for the winding of ratcheting mechanism PS is preset for completion upon closure of switch BI-I',the latter being adapted to close once during 'each one-sixth revolution of the distributing hopper, as described in connection with switch FH.

An important feature of m invention resides in the fact that'the material may be fully distributed without. requiring movement of gh an an le greater than 180. Therefore after the fifth load has been carried to the 180 position by the hopper, contactor 75 will have moved into engagement with segment 93 and button 1 in the 240 section of the position switch, and

upon arrival of the next skip bucket the master: switch ratcheting mechanism will eflect movement of contactor55 into engagement with button 1 in the 2i0 section of the master switch. The aforedescribed reverse circuit connections for motor M are thus completed, and the hopper is rotated in a reverse direction through an angle of as measured by operation of the limit switch BH through two complete cycles.--:-The load is therefore carried by the hopper to the point to which it would have been carried if the hopper had been rotated in a forward direction through an angle of 240, whereas, the

. through an a position switch, so that time required for such reverse operation is only one-half as long. Five skip loads will thus be carried by the hopper m a reverse direction throu h an angle of 120 to a position corresponding tothe 240 position of the ho per if operated in a forward direction.

t the end of this period contact-0r 75 will be moved into engagement with segment 94 and button 1 in the 300 section of the position switch, and upon discharge of the next skip load into the distributing hopper contactor 55 will be moved into engagement with button 1 in the 300 section of the master switch. The reverse circuit connections for motor M are again com hopper is l uirection by one complete rot per is thus mov -d direce hopper in a for? re requirtion through an angle of 300, we

ing but one-fifth as much time for the operation. After five slnp loads have been carried by the hopper to the 300 point by five operations thereof through an angle of in said reverse direction, contactor will be moved to the initial position shown, wherein it engages contact 1 of the first section on the upon arrival of the next skip bucket at the furnace top contactor 55 will be moved'into engagement with button 1 in the 0 section of the master switch. The complete cycle aforedescribed will then be re- ':peated to effect continuation of the furnace I charging operation.

As aforeindicated the contactor 75 by sequential engagement with segments 88, 90, 91, 93 and 94 of the position switch provides for completion of the energizing circuits of the 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 lamps, thereby visually indicating the condition or progress of the furnace charging operation.

While I have illustrated a controller adapted to provide for discharge of five loads at each of six different angular positions of the hopper, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is equally applicable for a charging cycle including discharge of any desired number of loads at any position or any number of positions.

What I claim as new and desire'to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. In blast furnace charging equipment, in combination, a distributing hopper, means for intermittently discharging loads of material directly into said hopper at a given point peripherally of the latter, means for individually dischargin a multiplicity of said loads of material rom the hopper se quentially at each of a number of different points angularly spaced from said first men tioned point, said means including means for automatically efiecting rotation of said hopper prior to discharge of certain of said loads of material therefrom, and means controlled by said last mentioned means for automatically reversing the direction of rotation of said hopper to provide for travel thereof to said points through the smallest are or angle.

2. In blast furnace charging equipment, in combination, a rotatable d'stributing hopper into which loads of material are intermittently discharged, a motor for driving said hopper, means for effecting operation of said motor in forward and reverse directions selectively, said means comprising a master switch and means for efiecting stepby-step movement of said switch in accord ance with the number of loads discharged into said hopper, a position switch and for effecting step-by-step movement 0 mentioned switch in accordance wi degree of rotation of said hopper, cert said switches being operable automatically to effect operation of said motor inopposite directions selectively to thereby limit the de gree of rotation of said hopper in either direction to an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees.

3. In blast furnace charging equipment, in combination, a distributing hopper, a skip hoist for intermittently discharging loads of material directly thereinto, means oper able automatically to effect discharge of said loads of material individually therefrom, means operable automatically under given conditions to effect rotation of said hopper through a multiplicity of different angles prior to discharge, of said loads of material therefrom, said last mentioned means including means to effectsuch rotation in op osite directions selectively to avoid travel 0 said hopper through an angle greater than one hundred and eighty degrees.

4-. In blast furnace charging equipment, in combination, a distributing hopper, a skip hoist for intermittently discharging loads of material directly thereinto, means operable automatically to effect discharge of said loads of material individually therefrom, means operable automatically under iven conditions to effect repeated rotation of said hopper through each of a plurality of different angles prior to discharge of each load of material therefrom, said last mentioned means including means adapted upon discharge of .a predetermined number of loads of material to effect repeated reverse rotation of said hopper through each of a plurality of different angles to thereby reduce the time required to effect proper distribution of said material by said hopper.

5. In blast furnace charging equipment, in combination with a furnace top having a large bell and a small bell, a distributing hopper associated with said small bell, means for effecting operation of said small and large bells in predetermined sequence, a skip hoist for intermittently discharging loads of material directly into said hopper, means and aoa otodi to ohrongh varying omkhg saiai istsibnting mono.

ostsblished in for soq oooiofly effecting discharge of a prode'kormonoo orolifsy of Foods from said hopwifino ofiocting roootioo of the mom no for thoroofier so noosliy eEf-scising discharge of o psodeosrminod piorality oi loads from said hop ropeoizooi rotooion thereof to o pro-- clegree, anfi osoociosod moons ooptod ol schorgo of predetermined pnmli' oz? 1 ds fiz'om said noppon 32o ofioct rammed rotation izhoroof lo rovorso dimoprior iischssgo of sooseqnsnt loads oby "one rs- 2031221" oistrioution' of said 6. In combination, a 0385i furnace top, :1 for inoesmioinontly oiscbarging material into said top, cfisiiiibnting hopyos'z for noooiving soi-rl material, means opersbio aniomotioafiy to ofieci; discharge of material from means operable antomsticsfiy nnosr given conditions "to ofieci prsdoosrogross of rotation 013 said hoops? psi-ion 53o fiisohorgo of the maosriai thsrehom lo o montione'fl; means comprising a revorsible motor for giriwing saioi hopgoer, conhopper,

13ml moans fox said motor inolnding a goon oz? multiple oon aoos switches ooeroolo s-sqoontmfiy 1n 2. smoky-step manner to pro mde for oiaernatoly completmg anti moor mptin tho motor circuit connections, ono of S81 swltches hovng groups of contacts of ifioroni ieng'lhs to thereby provide for variation oi the o porotin periocis of tho motor, am the othor of sai switches nosing moons for reversing the cirouio connecfions oi the motor upon a given number of oyo'ro sions of the mm.-

L A bisso Emacs charging equipment comprising a o'iistrionfisin hop adapted o n oennately to receive on; disc argo maiorisfi be automatically rotated degrees between reception whofoby the discharge mo ssibooafi, a reversible motor hopper, and' con @1111 means for sai. motor,-sa.id control comprising agair of elements each adapoed to be antomstlcally moved progressively mops, the armn ment being such thao cinonii; connoctions on said motor are adapted to onse to movement of ono of said elomonos ongh a given number o1: soaps so be interrupted 1n response to d smock nxovomom oi? tho ofller element through a ooghomt o pom, oi Wrso direction throughout the other part of said Zola. 8. blast turnacs charging equipment, io

combination a ijsoributing hopper to be gotatably ginvan, o reversiblo motor for driv mg the sum, :1

lurslity of normally openoumhor of times oo ofiocfi; oompiotion of the 1 oisouizl; of soifl. motor for operation thereof one flirocoion, so'id means comprising a switch having a plurality of groups of conbaots and o oon oaotor: to be oloornately engo cd with and disengaged from the con- ?socos of nospoooivo goon s, and another switch bowing a plurality ofc goon ps of coniaocis and contootor m be alternately ongoged with and flisongogod from the contacts of said groups rososcoivoly, the oooiocts of lost mentionoo groups boitog oi difisreot leng'hs and. tho oontoctor ossocisosd thoro- Witn being ogasroblo in oocordoooo with the dogma of rotation of said device Wfosroby said motor is operated automatically for difierent periods during o given oyclo, and means adopted upon given mlmbsr oi operations of contain of said contso'tors to provide circuit connections for opsraiion of said. motor in tho opposioo olirocsion.

1n wit-moss Whomof K have hereunto sobscribed my 7 PE ISLEEE' B. I"?

Von direction 

